Covid normal?

[ignoramus]

Guys, I'm seeing some horrific numbers coming out of the good ol US of A.
Same with Europe etc.

Even here in Shitsville, (Straya), they've basically given up on contact tracing and reporting most hot spots.
The New covid normal now (for us) is to look out for ourselves because the govt isn't worried about us catching covid anymore.
(Because most won't need to inconvenience the govt with hospitalizations, etc.)

The latest info from the msm is what I posted on fb a few weeks ago.
Namely that most people who feel a little unwell will NOT go and get tested. (and be told to isolate -with legal repercussions)

So now our govt is complaining that our hospitals are reaching crysis point by covid patients who are coming in for other reasons.
EG: 30-40% of new hospitalizations ARE testing positive to covid but have come in because eg: They broke their arm, were involved in an accident, etc

I think the official numbers being reported are just the tip of the iceberg. It is true, most people will not need hospitalization, but these same people are happy to keep spreading it like forever. I can not see an end to this, can you? Not this year or next year.

Anyway, what is your covid normal like? Doing most of the things you were doing before covid? Or locking yourselves in except for the absolute necessities? (like me).
I still swim at the beach most days because I don't interact with anyone, but no outings of any type. eg: restaurants, large gatherings, clubs, pubs, etc...

[The Valkyrie]

The entire Oz government needs to be sacked.

The pm needs to be held accountable.

I've been reading that home tests are for sale at arvey Norman, but the government won't do anything to provide them free of charge.

That's not the Oz I know and love.

I understand only WA is under some semblance of control?

[ignoramus]

The govt's excuse for not supplying the rapid tests for free is "we don't want to take profits away from private retailers" lol
And most private retailers are selling them beyond MSRP because they are very much in demand. Many are selling them for $25-30 each. (double MSRP).

I agree, sack the govt, but have you seen the competition! Jaysus! Here comes Australia the banana republic. Our local currency will be syringes soon, it's getting that bad.

[brewer]

The only things we've stopped are casinos and eating out. There have been dog events cancelled that we normally are involved in, this years breed national that we always work/attend is in jeopardy. Our tracking events continue (they're outside, duh). Nico (our male) has ongoing toe amputation issues, so going to the vet is definitely more complicated. My wife refuses to go to the pharmacy, they are jam packed with testing and vaccinations, the drive thru can be an hour+ wait so I'm doing that chore. She's got asthma and a skosh of hypochondria/paranoia.

[Fireball]

It's going to be with us for the foreseeable future, I expect. We eat out once a week, on the weekend. Masks are off only while eating. I do the grocery shopping. My wife will go to a store for clothes, since I'm not going to buy them for her. Other than that, we stay home. My wife's company looked into sending the employees home before it was official. She's been working from home for almost two years.

[arewethereyet]

I am so over COVID! Though I wasn't much on going out to eat or to shop, I don't like NOT being able to do those things.

Here in Texas it's rare to see people in masks though I wear one pretty much any time I do leave the house...other than going through the drive thru at the bank...I figure there I am pretty safe.

My boss offered to start bringing weekly paperwork to me yesterday. I told her that I really needed the trip to the office once a week and that my car needs to be driven now and then. That's about the only place I go except for medical appointments, which are rare.

Grocery shopping online is now the way I go and I like it pretty well...there's a glitch now and then I have to run into the store but I do it early and masked up. Like yesterday I had ordered an Italian blend of shredded cheese and got Mexican blend instead...yeah, that's not the same stuff.

Husband just went back to work today after his COVID test being positive on Christmas Eve. He had some vacation scheduled that the time off for COVID rolled into and was supposed to include today (his birthday) but he is so damned bored that he got up and went to work.

I have pretty much been in my house for two years now...all day, every day. Yeesh. I just got a work table to use for the sewing hobby that's in full gear. There are days when I find myself pacing around the house because I am so tired of feeling trapped. Most of the time I handle it okay but lately it has really kicked my butt and I have upped my antidepressant dosage in the hopes of not curling up in the fetal position in a corner somewhere.

If my daughter didn't show up fairly regularly, I may have opened a vein by now. I need little social interaction but none is carrying it too damn far for this damn long.

Thank goodness for Amazon and Chewy for shopping and this forum for some interaction with what I assume to be other bored as hell humans.